Banks Peninsula - Gough Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, mate – Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s been cookin’ for this stretch.

We’ve got one spot on the radar: Banks Peninsula - Gough Bay. It’s a fairly consistent beginner-friendly break, exposed to swell, and it likes an ESE direction. The water’s sitting at 50°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – nothing crazy, but a slight bump in comfort.

The week kicks off Sunday morning the 2nd with a solid 6ft SSE swell, period of 13 seconds, and clean surf thanks to a light cross-off breeze. The combined energy is strong (1176) – you’ll feel that push. This is a top pick: excellent conditions for experienced surfers. The swell size is over 5ft, so maybe not ideal for beginners, but for those with a few sessions under the belt, it’s clean and has some grunt.

Sunday afternoon drops a notch to 5ft from the SE, still clean, lighter energy (878). Monday morning the 3rd repeats that 5ft, this time from the SSW, with a light cross-off – still very good. But Monday afternoon the wind swings southerly and rips up to 22 mph, blowing cross-on. The swell jumps to 8ft, but the quality tanks – poor, lumpy, not worth paddling out. Tuesday the 4th is a write-off: 13-16ft of SSW swell with strong cross-shore winds gusting 25-28 mph. Messy, dangerous, totally unsurfable. Wednesday the 5th still has a 10ft S swell in the morning, but it’s too big for this break, even though the wind is light and cross. By afternoon it drops to 8ft, but the wind’s got a little chop on it – not great.

Thursday the 6th brings some relief: 5ft S swell, clean with a light cross-off. Nice and accessible for a range of surfers. Friday the 7th is a gem: 4ft S swell but with a very long 14-second period, clean and glassy with light winds. That kind of period means longer waits between sets, but the waves will have more shape and power – classic groundswell. Best for the point or reef setups, not a peaky beach break. Afternoon stays clean with 3ft. Saturday the 8th the swell dips to around 4-4ft, but the wind turns cross-shore and the quality drops – marginal.

Sunday the 9th is worth an early paddle: 2ft SSE at a very long 14 seconds, but then the wind goes dead calm – glassy perfection by afternoon, just 3ft. That’s a beautiful, quiet session. Monday the 10th stays glassy in the morning with 4ft SSE – another hidden winner. The rest of that week into the second week gets small and inconsistent. There’s a brief spike on Friday the 14th with a 7ft NE swell, but it’s short period (7 seconds) – weak energy (500), not much push or shape. Glassy conditions though, so if you’re desperate, it’s clean but weak.

From the 15th onward, it’s all small, inconsistent, and mostly poor. The swell drops under 3ft, winds are messy or onshore, and the energy readings are low – often under 400. Not worth the wetsuit.

No other breaks are in the picture, so this is a one-spot show. The standout window is definitely Sunday morning the 2nd for the bigger, clean SSE swell, and Sunday afternoon the 9th through Monday morning the 10th for that rare glassy, small-but-perfect vibe. If you’re after clean lines and no crowds, keep your eyes on the morning glass-offs later in the first week.

Stay stoked,
Rusty

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